Relevance of Mycotoxin

Control to Food Security in

the time of “Change”

By

Sunday Ene-Ojo Atawodi,

B.Sc (ABU), MSc., PhD (Ibadan), MAAAS, MNYAS, FUICC, FAS

Professor of BiochemistryAhmadu Bello University,

Zaria, Nigeria

atawodi_se@yahoo.com ; 08033850613

Being a Keynote Address, Presented at the

11th Annual Conf of Mycotoxicology Soc.

of Nigeria held @ Fed. Uni. Technol. Minna

25th - 28th Oct.2016

Protocol

The Governor/Commissioner

The Vice Chancellor,

Members of the University Management, here present

The President of the MYCOTOXISON & Members of the Executive of the

Society

The Chairman and Members of the LOC

Members of the Society

Gentlemen of the Press,

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

Prologue

When I type any message involving

my name “Atawodi”, my smart phone

will auto-correct it to “At wood”

The question, here is: who is correct,

and who is wrong between me and

the “smart” phone?.

I am not sure that your answer will be

the same as mine, but one thing I am

sure of, is that I will never give it to

the “smart” phone on this.

When the organizers of the conference invited

me to suggest a topic for the Keynote address, I

submitted the above topic, viz “Relevance of

Mycotoxin Control to Food Security in the time of

Change” but this was auto-corrected to

“Relevance of Mycotoxin Control to Food

Security in climate Change”, But as the lecture

will later show, these topics may be similar, but

there are not exactly the same. Hence, my

decision to stick to the original topic.

So Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the topic

of my Keynote Address this morning is

“Relevance of Mycotoxin Control to Food

Security in the time of Change”

Why this topic

Mycotoxin : is the basis for the existence

of this Society (MYCOTOXISON)

Food Security: Important for our

daily existence

Change - “Changing Climate” is a big

challenge to “Mycotoxin Control”,

especially with the unintended

consequences of the “Change Mantra”

and “Changing Economic Fortunes”

Lecture Structure

This Lecture, will examine the origin,

chemistry, health and economic

impacts of mycotoxins. These will

form the basis for the justification of

necessary investment on control of

mycotoxins. Finally, the inter-

relationship between Mycotoxins,

Climate Change and the un-intended

consequences of the Change Mantra,

which, unfortunately, is like a vicious

cycle, as they affect Food Security,

will be established.

Thus, Mr. Chairman, ladies and

gentlemen, in this Lecture, I shall

draw knowledge from Geography

& Economics, two of my most

favorite Courses; Toxicology, my

main area of specialization

today, and Politics, in which all

humans, must partake.

The Lecture

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are Secondary fungal (molds)

metabolites, that cause a wide variety of

harmful effects in animals and human beings.

• More than 300 secondary metabolites have

been described, but only about 30 have been

demonstrated to exert toxic effects.

Potentially, up to 300,000 mycotoxins, may

exist, when all fungal species are studied

Major Classes of

Mycotoxigenic Fungi

Fusarium,

Aspergillus,

Penicillium,

Cladosporium,

Claviceps,

Alternaria,

Helminthosporium

Common toxigenic

fungi

Aspergillus

Penicillium

Stachybotrys

Fusarium

Mycotoxin Classes, Toxigenic Fungi, Food

Sources and Main Toxic Effects

Mycotoxins Producing

Fungi

Food

Sources

Main Effects

Aflatoxins Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus, A. nomius

Maize, peanuts, tree nuts, dried fruit

Carcinogenic

Ochratoxins Aspergillus

ochraceus, A.

niger

Penicillium verrucosum

Cereal grains, wine, coffee, spices, dried figs, spices, nuts, cocoa

Nephrotoxic,

genotoxic,

Immunosuppr

ession,

teratogenic

&carcinogenic

effects

O

O

O

H

H

OO

OCH3

O

O

H

Cl

O

NH

COOH OH

Mycotoxin Classes, Toxigenic Fungi, Food

Sources and Main Toxic Effects - Contd

Mycotoxins Producing

Fungi

Food

Sources

Main Effects

Fumonisins Fusariumverticillioides(moniliforme)F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans

Maize Esophageal Cancer, leucoencephalomacia in horses, pulmonary oedema in pigs

CH3

CH3

NH2

OHOH

OH

O

OCH3CH3

O OH

OOH

O

O OH

O

OH

O

Mycotoxin Classes, Toxigenic Fungi, Food

Sources and Main Toxic Effects - Contd

Mycotoxins Producing Fungi Food

Source

s

Main Effects

Trichothecen

es –

(Deoxynivalen

ol

(DON, Vomitoxin)

Fusarium

graminearum, F.

culmorum

F. pseudograminearum

Wheat ,

maize ,

other

grains

Immunosupp

ression,

vomiting,

Nausea

Zearalenone Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorumF. crookwellense

Wheat,

maize,

sorghum

, barley

Oestrogenic

effect,

infertility

O

O

OH

OH

HHH

H

O

H

OH

Toxic Effects in

Economic Animals

Conditions that favour

Mycotoxin Production:

Temperature (40 - 90o F ; 4 - 32o C)

Relative Humidity (> 70%)

Moisture (22-23% in grain)

Oxygen (1-2%)

Relevance of Mycotoxin Control

• Mycotoxigenic fungi are a normal part of the microflora of crops

and stored foods

• They are usually ingested in contaminated food

• Mycotoxins constitute a major global food safety challenge

(can cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and nervous

tissue damage, etc. in man, and productivity-reducing

effects in animals).

• Most are not destroyed by normal cooking procedures.

• Usually no treatment for mycotoxin poisoning

• Has serious economic impact (up to $5b in USA/Canada) due to:

- crop losses

- reduced animal productivity

- costs of counter measures

- costs of complying with regulatory limits

- costs of monitoring

- loss of consumer confidence in food safety

- economic effect associated with impaired human health

Challenges to Mycotoxin Control

Food insufficiency: Food quality theories not attractive to hungry population General economic challenges Poor infrastructure, technology and resources for routine food monitoring Cultural and political considerations

Inadequate multidisciplinary collaborations across agriculture, food safety, nutrition, health and economics Control strategies are implemented by developing countries, while priorities are set by the developed countries Need for development and adaptation of appropriate diagnostic methods for developing countries

Inadequate availability of field diagnostic methods requiring minimal training and equipment

Climate Change

What is Climate

Change?

Climate Change

Climate change is a term used to

describe the world increases in

temperature (global warming),

accompanied by increases in CO2 levels

and high variability and unpredictability in

weather conditions, including changes in

precipitation patterns and frequent

storms, which are believed to be brought

about, mainly, by human activities

Manifestations of

Climate Change

. .

Desertification

Drought/Water Stress

Temperature Variations

.

Global warming:

temperature expected to

rise by up to 4.8OC by the

year, 2100 (Intergov.

Panel on Climate

Change, IPCC, 2014)

.

oC

Other manifestations of

Climate Change

Elevated levels of carbon dioxide

Increase in insect populations

Spread of tropical pathogens

towards the poles

Climate Change and

Mycotoxin

Contaminations.

Climate Change and Mycotoxin

Contaminations

.

Elements of

Climate change,

coincidentally

favors

Mycotoxin

Production

along the Food

Chain

.

Climate change and Mycotoxincontaminations.

iGlobal

Mycotoxin belt is expanding towards the poles because of increasing temperature (Global warming)

i

Increasing Temperature/humidity&

Mycotoxins incidence

.Global

warming/humidity are encouraging increase in population of food-damaging insects & Pathogens, including, mycotoxigenicfungi at 3-5km/year towards the poles

Flooding & frequent

storms increase

atmospheric humidity

Humidity is a major risk factor in mycotoxigenicfungal growth and toxin production

The Change Mantra

The Change Mantra

.A political mass

movement for a new social order, epitomized by Muhammadu Buhari, consisting of Over 15 million Nigerians, including civil Servants and the masses, that saw to the enthronement of GMB as PMB

.

Un-intended Consequences of

“Change”.

The process of

socio-economic

re-engineering,

occasioned by

the change

agenda, has

some side

effects

.

.

Climate-impacting, Un-intended

Consequences of “Change”

.Higher cost of

cooking gas and

kerosene - tree

felling, desertification:

Destruction of CO2 -

consuming Plants

.

High cost of Kerosene,

cooking gas

.

Use of

firewoods &

Coal for

cooking:

.

generation of

greenhouse

gases

Destruction of

ozone layer and

aggravation of

Climate Change

Change Mantra, Climate

Change and Incidence of

Mycotoxin & Control

Dwindling Economic Fortunes

.

Inadequate

infrastructure,

including

transportation,

storage facilities,

power, mycotoxin

monitoring & Control

facilities, due to

dwindling economic

fortunes

.

Promotion of

mycotoxin

production

and exposure

Change Mantra, Climate

Change and Incidence of

Mycotoxins.

Un-intended

consequences

of change

(e.g)

aggravates

climate

change:

.

Climate Change

elements like flooding,

humidity, global warming,

increase in population of

food-damaging insects,

etc promote

Mycotoxigenic fungi

growth and mycotoxin

production

Mycotoxins as Challenge to realization of

change Objectives

Effect of Mycotoxins

Food insecurity

Poor and declining

economy

Unhealthy work –force

Challenges to Change

Agenda

Crises and national insecurity

low returns on agricultural

investments, poor export

potential of agricultural

products, higher investment on

unhealthy population

poor contributor to economic

growth, unnecessary burden

on an already lean and

declining economy, higher

investment on health, lack of

virile work

Bottom-line…….

Adequate Budgetary investment in

Mycotoxin Control is of paramount

importance in the realization of the

Objectives of the “Change Agenda”

Food Security

Food Security

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical andeconomic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet theirdietary needs and food preferencesfor an active and healthy life.(FAO/World Food Summit, 1998)

Defining Elements of FOOD SECURITYhttp://www.channelstv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/food_wares.jpg

Climate Change and

Food inSecurity

Reduced arable land – Drought, Desertification

and gully erosion has reduced land available for

agriculture

More frequent extreme weather events (e.g.

floods) which can damage crops physically, and

make foods more susceptible to spoilage &

contaminations (e.g with mycotoxins),

Extreme changes in weather may cause

nutritious and staple crops to go into extinct

Pests and diseases - The changing climate is also

bringing pest and diseases into new areas where

they could not previously survive, thereby

reducing agricultural output

Change Mantra, Climate

Change, Mycotoxins &

Food Security

CH3

CH3

NH2

OHOH

OH

O

OCH3CH3

O OH

OOH

O

O OH

O

OH

O

The Change Mantra, Climate Change and

Mycotoxins & Food Security

.Un-intended

consequenc

es of

change (e.g)

aggravates

climate

change,

which in

turn favors

Mycotoxin

Production,

&

Exacerbate

Food

Insecurity

.

S/No Un-intended

Consequen

ces of

Causes of

Climate

Change

Climate

Change

Indicators

Factors

favoring

Mycotoxin

Production

1 Felling of

trees

deforestation High temp High temp

2 Wood for

Cooking

Greenhouse

gases

generation

High

humidity

High

humidity

3 Crop

damage

Crop

damage

4 Increase

in

pathogens

Increase in

pathogens

Mycotoxins and Food

inSecurity

Food shortages due to mycotoxin contaminations

Inadequate agricultural workers due to

mycotoxins-related illnesses

Diminished productivity gains (esp. in cereals

and legumes) due to mycotoxin presence

Decreased bioavailability & nutritional

performance (blockage of micronutrient uptake,

enteropathy, etc.)

Collateral damages, including unemployment for

workers of the agricultural value chain

The Change Mantra, Climate

Change, Mycotoxins & Food

Security

Summary

The Change Mantra, Climate Change, Mycotoxins & Food Security (Atawodi, 2016)

Security

Change (un-intended

Consequences)

Climate Change

Aggravation

Promotion of Mycotoxigenic

Fungi/Mycotoxin

Food insecurity

Mycotoxin Control is important in National Security

Conclusion

Fungal secondary metabolites called

mycotoxins, have wide ranging health and

economic impacts. Unfortunately,

mycotoxin contamination of food is

exacerbated by climate change and some

un-intended consequences of the “change”

process, including climate change-

aggravation, and the attendant fall-outs,

including higher potential for contamination

and consumption of mycotoxins, resulting

in food insecurity, poor human health, lack

of virile work force, and greater inability to

revive an already declining economic

fortunes, occasioned low international

prices of crude oil.

Therefore, to achieve the laudable and

commendable objectives of “change

mantra”, it is my humble

recommendation, that there is need for

governments at all levels, to invest

adequately and wisely in mycotoxin

control, since there seems to be an

unholy alliance between Climate

Change, mycotoxin production and food

insecurity to frustrate meaningful

national development

Acknowledgements

To the President,

the Executive and

the LOC

Chairman/Members

To my dear

colleague that

presented this

paper on my behalf

For inviting me to

be the Keynote

Speaker at the 11th

Annual Conference

of MYCOTOXISON

It is never easy to

present lecture/

slides prepared by

another

Thank you

all for

keenly

listening to

my Keynote

Address,

even in my

unavoidable

absenceProfessor Sunday Ene-Ojo ATAWODIB.Sc. (ABU), MSc., PhD (Ibadan), MAAAS, MNYAS, FUICC, FAS